Ripple
by Devb
Summary: Another Mitsu-ish story, only the prologue so far.
1. Chapter 1

Don't own K-On! Kakifly and Kodansha does. Bla bla bla. I got this idea after reading the "Ritsu's mysterious boyfriend" chapter.

**Ripple.**

SLAP!

Ritsu was in shock, not because her one and only best friend had hit her. Sure every since they've been kids she had always been the target of the bigger girl's wraith, heck most of the time she was the cause of it; however this time it was different this time it freaking hurt. Tainaka Ritsu knew how to push her best friend's buttons however this time; the one time Tainaka Ritsu needed Akiyama Mio, the one time she has to see her smiling face; she felt betrayed.

It was just a regular school day. She got up, brushed her teeth and washed her face, everything was a normal drearily routine the same routine that she actually loved. That was until she opened the door into her best friend's room, only to find her awake for once and... sitting on the floor in the corner of her dorm, her face was pale like as if she had barnacles on her knees.

"_I'm pregnant"_

_How can she say that with a straight face, what about our dream, what about Budokan what about becoming famous. Why didn't she listen to me for once!_

"_Mio, did you hear what I said?"_

"_Idiot," how could she do this to me; to us. I told her, I warned her that this is all men wants, men are animals yet. How could she betray me._

SLAP!

"Idiot Ritsu," the slap was so loud that remaining members of HTT could hear the commotion and rush out to see what sorts of trouble the brunette managed to get into with her raven haired friend.

"..."

"You ruined, everything."

"Mio I..."

"I warned you about him, about men, this is all they wanted," obsidian eyes welled with tears which has now started streaming down porcelain cheeks.

"Mio its not his..."

"Shut up! You ruined everything, do you understand Ritsu! You ruined my life, I could have been something I could have been a great lawyer if I never had to follow you like a stupid puppy! Not only did you ruined my life you ruined theirs." At this point the remaining members of HTT noticed the big red hand mark on the side of their Drummer's face and rushed to her side.

"Ricchan," squeal their lead guitarist Hirasawa Yui.

"Goodness what happened here," questioned their blonde Keyboardist Kotobuki Tsumugi. The drummer was silent, touching her cheeks where the slap landed.

"You ruined everything," continued the enraged bassist. _It hurts, every time she broke my heart_ _the day she started going out with, "him" the day she told me that she, "slept" with him. And now today, how many more times could she break my heart like this._

"Mio please," beg the drummer, "I need your support, I'm scared..."

"You're scared? How do you think I feel? Of course not, you never cared about me, you never cared about anybody except yourself. Everything had to be about YOU YOU YOU!" _Why am I such a coward, why couldn't I tell her, tell her about how I feel..._

"Mio..."

"I never wanted to see you again Ritsu," she ran into her room and shut the door which she had locked for the first time since moving into this dorm, she doesn't want to be bothered, at least not today. The girl cried her hearts out that day, she cried till it was night, then she cried herself to sleep.

The next day, as she woke finally realizing the magnitude of what she had done.

_She's gone._

Ritsu's room was empty, she had dropped all her classes and against the objections of her friends had moved out. She never told anyone where she was going, which worried Yui and Mugi to no end. After it was all said and done HTT, never saw their drummer again. Even when Mio went home for that summer she found out that the Tainaka's had moved away.

_What have I done?_

This was 7 years ago.

* * *

><p>Houkago Tea Time never made it anywhere. <em>It was just a childish dream after all, that was that and this is life. <em>Mugi continued her studies of social science and transferred to Tokyo University for her masters. Yui graduated, and is now a teacher like she promised, Nakano Azusa followed her, Mio knew she would. Mio stayed at the Women's University, she stayed for one reason. Just in case _she_ would come back.

* * *

><p>"You are NOT making any sense"<p>

"I'm tired Sempai, tired of waiting for you to decide about what you want!"

"Jun, I can't do this right now. You know I have my bar exam coming up."

"Sempai, I love you but I don't know how long I can wait for you to make up your mind," the poor girl is crying her hearts out to the raven haired beauty that is her soon to be ex-girlfriend.

"Just a few more months Jun, then you we can go away together, maybe that island that my parents took us, remember?"

"No sempai I cannot wait for you any further, I don't want to wait..."

Mio never answered, she knew her type of relationship is one that is not in the norm and is usually frown upon. Being a, _lesbian _would only deter her from landing the job she wants. W_hy couldn't she understand? Why couldn't she just wait a few months, once I am hired things will be different._

"You don't under..."

"Sempai, I am not her," screamed Suzuki Jun deep down she knows she's just a replacement for Ritsu-sempai. "I will never be her, and I don't want to stay in this town just because YOU wanted to wait for her."

"..."

"Ritsu-sempai is gone, she has her own life now, its time you to move on. I know you feel guilty for... what you did. But know this, she moved on and I know she forgave you, she might not be..."

"SHUT UP, you will NEVER UNDERSTAND WHAT RITSU AND I HAD. AND DON'T YOU EVER SAY YOU DO BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT JUN"

Jun was in shocked, not once in their time together had Mio raise her voice to her. Her legs quivered and gave way, she was now kneeling on the floor, defeated.

"Look, I don't want to have this argument with you anymore, NOT RIGHT NOW. Jun please just...not right now."

"I'm leaving sempai," Mio never really noticed her girlfriend was in the middle of packing up her things. Her mind was elsewhere buried into one of the many many law books that she had accumulated.

"..."

"I'm not coming back sempai," then she moved out closing the door behind her. Mio and Jun had been through this before, this very same conversation exactly 6 months ago. She knows Jun will eventually be back, she knew her girlfriend too well, however Mio really wanted to make it up to her. Jun was the only person who was willing to put up with all her _flaws_, well besides Ritsu. However she can't have this right now not when she's so close. _Just a little longer._

* * *

><p>And so ends another chapter in the turbulent life of Akimiya Mio.<p>

* * *

><p>"Yes please have the paperwork on my desk by the time I get to my office tomorrow morning, yes thank you."<p>

_Sigh, why must they test my patience. The escrow papers should have been on my desk before I left. Why must I be subjected to incompetence. _

Ending her call, she placed the phone inside her purse.

"I'm home," she called out to no one in particular. A part of her was hoping a familiar voice would answer her from the kitchen. _I'm sorry Jun, you must hate me now._

She glanced at the hallway mirror as she kneels down to remove her high heels, _wrinkles at such a young age. _She glanced at the woman in front of her, long flowing raven hair now tied to a neat pony tail, Mio felt it gave her more of a professional flair.

She fumbles through the fridge, _I guess I'll just buy a bento tonight._

Locking the door behind her, the autumn breeze brushes against her face as she make her way to the nearby Family Mart. _Christmas again, how long has it been since she moved out._

_Most of these are about to expire, _the raven sigh, _how many nights have I been settling for these supermarket bento_. She promised herself that this weekend will be different, this weekend she would go out and maybe have dinner even if it is by herself. _Maybe Mugi would want to come with me to that new club she was talking about._ Nothing seems to pop-up at her, Mio hasn't been eating well. Jun had been feeding her all this time, she was sadden to realize how much she had taken Jun for granted. _I'm so sorry._

"Onee-chan!"

A young girl with amber hair had tugged on her coat, surprising Mio. She was cute as a button.

"This is good," as she pushed a box of today's bento into Mio's hands. "Mommy bought this for me before!"

_And smart too. _Mio always wondered about having children, _what a pretty little girl._

"Th..thank you," Mio mustered a smile.

"Mii-chan, don't bother the nice lady dear..."

_That voice! _The raven turned around to confront its owner. _This familiar voice._

"...please don't mind her, she's just being curious," the lady's voice was cut off. She looked like she was trying to make something out, her eyes widen in realization of who she was in fact looking at.

Mio couldn't believe who it was, the woman standing in front of her, hair adorned with a yellow head band, which used to be cut short now flows all the way down her back. _So beautiful. _Her faces, new found feminine features emerge with her longer bangs. Eying her like a piece of meat Mio noticed that the lady is quite athletic, _she probably kept herself fit_, Mio could only remember how beautiful it was watching _her_ run. To Mio, the woman standing in front of her is probably the most beautiful being to grace this world.

"... please don't mind us, let's go Mii-chan," the woman called the little girl to her. Trying to hide her face as if she was some sort of criminal. _Why are you acting suspicious? _

_Wait! _Mio could do nothing but stare.

Mio was just standing there watching the woman take her leave after paying for the groceries. _Why couldn't my legs move. _

"Dammit," Mio ran after the woman.

"H..hey... umm..," Mio tried to form a coherent sentence. _Why is this so hard, I've dreamed of this day. _

The woman stopped, she she never turned to face Mio.

"y..yes?"

"Hey, I think we used to be neighbors. My name is Akiyama Mio," well this is a start she figured. "Can I have your name?"

"Takahashi Ritsu"

_So he did marry her, more importantly its her. _All Mio wanted to do was hold onto her and never let go, sadly this is no longer possible. Long gone were those childish fantasies they had has a kid, when the prince would ride in and rescue her the princess stuck in the castle. No more riding off into the sunset living happily ever after, no all of that was in the past.

"R...Ritsu...," Mio after 7 and a half long years finally broke.

END PROLOGUE


	2. Chapter 2

_The salt mist of the ocean brushes against her hair, she sits in contemplation as she watches the tides crash against jagged rocks. In the early morning the beach was pretty much deserted beside for one person, a raven haired beauty._

_'you looked really cool with your bangs down...'_

_The bassist studied the lyrics that she had written the night before, it almost came off as profound. _

_'so that's it huh?'_

_'how am I able to face her now...'_

***end flashback**

"I'm sorry...I'M SORRY!... please turn around Ritsu."

"..."

"I never meant to hurt you, you have to believe me."

'I was in love with you,' she thought, 'and then you stomped my heart into a million pieces of course I wanted nothing more than to hurt you.' she lied. Akiyama Mio, always had the reputation of being an ice princess, a real bitch that spits more venom than words. Sadly her colleague never knew the real her, this is the real Mio, shy, vulnerable, easily frighten and teased by her best friend.

The smaller girl ignored her, unable to face the business woman behind her. The little girl stared at the both of them, curious to all the commotion.

"Ritsu please..."

"I'm sorry miss, you must have mistaken me for someone else." The brunette continued to walk away.

"Why are you ignoring me... what do you want me to do to prove how sorry I am..."

The mother and child began to pick up speed, weaving in and out swiftly through the late afternoon crowd. Mio was determined to follow, she doesn't care if people see her as some sort of crazy person, she lost her best friend once before she refuse to lose her again.

"Ritsu wait pleas!"

The mother and child pair arrived at an intersection and proceeded to cross with the crowd. Just as Mio managed to catch up to them she sees the crossing signal changed from green to red the mother daughter pair safely reached the other side of the cross walk. Fearing she would lose them forever Mio followed knowing full well how dangerous a Japanese intersection would be during late afternoon traffic, after making it halfway she realize it was probably stupid on her part trying to cross a busy intersection especially with cars rushing past her. She later realize that her gut feeling was right as she noticed a car barreling down on her. She closes her eyes cursing her own stupidity, 'is this how I am going to die?' 'How ironic, I searched for her for 7 years... and now I am going to die at her feet before I even get a chance to anthologize.' However fate would not be that cruel, as a hand reaches out of the crowd and pulls her away from the speeding automobile right in the nick of time.

'This warmth, I'm I...'

Mio opens her eyes, to strains of dark brown, complemented by bright eyes of amber. She found herself safety eneveloped by the brunette, it felt good too good, her skin welcomes this all too familiar contact. 'This probably looks so strange, in the middle of the sidewalk standing here embracing one another in front of all these people waiting to cross the street,' but she doesn't care Mio never wanted this feeling to end.

"Are you crazy Mio, why did you do that," screamed Ritsu. "How could you do something so stupid, do you know how many people would feed sad if something were to you," continued the brunette.

"I... I just wanted to see you..."

"Why did you have to chase us," questioned the brunette.

"Ritsu I missed you please... w...wahhh!"

"Geez, what I'm I going to do with you Mio," Ritsu replied giving the taller girl a gentle smile. Mio could do nothing but cry her heart out, clinging to her best friend.

"shhh... shhh... its alright Mio, I'm here."

***Next scene**

Night has settled at the Takahashi residence as Ritsu helped a now mentally and physically exhausted Mio into her home. The house was quite spacious, one wouldn't know this looking from outside. The living room had a traditional western flare similar to Mio's old home back when she was in highschool. Wood floors, with a coffee table in the middle, a big green couch adjacent to a flat screen TV. Ritsu sets her companion down on the couch and turns her attention to the groceries, putting them away in the refrigerator.

"Oi... err..., Akiyama-san would you like something to drink, it is still Akiyama-san right?"

"Y...yes," answered the lawyer. "Water would be fine," she followed.

"O...okay," she takes a bottle from the fridge.

"Here you go," she said as she handed Mio the bottle and proceeded to sit in the couch.

"So, Akiyama-san how long has it been? I believe 4-5 maybe 6 years since we last talked?" The tomboy was now uncharacteristically reserved, 'almost too polite,' thought the lawyer.

"Akiyama-san? Why are you calling me that Ritsu? And it's been 7 years and 3 months!"

"Well umm, I don't know really... what do you want me to refer you as?"

"Mio, like you always do..."

The brunette hesitated, the wound from 7 years ago was still fresh in her head. . 'Does she not want to be friends with me,' thought Mio.

"Ritsu," the raven started, "I don't want there to be any hatred between us."

"..."

"I was wrong, about everything... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Ritsu... I... I..."

"No, you weren't wrong It was me, my heart blinded me," interrupted the brunette. "I should have listened to you... I was an idiot like always"

"No Ritsu, you didn't do anything wrong, I should have been there for you but I wasn't, what kind of best friend was I... I abandoned you in when you needed me the most."

"..."

"You did no wrong Ritsu, she's beautiful," Mio started to tear up looking at the little girl whose seems transfixed to the current TV program.

"What's her name?"

"Takahashi Miyuki," smiled the brunette, "she's my happiness."

"I wish I could have seen her grow up," continued her best friend. "I'm sorry Ritsu, I wasn't there for you," she continued, "I'm sorry..."

"Mio," the brunette started to cry as well at this point. "MIO!"

The two young women embraced each other as seven years of sadness and loneliness seems to have melted away that instant.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for the reviews everyone, you guys really inspire me to keep writing.

Chapter 3:

Grumbling stomachs broke the best friends out of their quiet embrace, they look at each other before burst out in laughter as Ritsu's daughter looks at them quizzically. The clock on the wall struck 2215 on its LCD display. 'Time to be a mother again.'

"Are you hungry Mii-chan?"

" Ya!"

"Okay, Yosh! let me cook something up for dinner," she announced with new found determination. Ritsu hasn't been this happy in a very long time. It's not like her life was miserable, far from it. She is married to a hardworking husband who loves her and their daughter very much. They live quite comfortably from a single source of income and faced very little grief in their seven years together. However, to Ritsu something was missing, which was why she was especially happy today because the thing that was missing has come back into her life.

The former drummer hummed a familiar HTT tune as she prepares some pan seared salmon with pickled veggies on a bed of white rice.

Mio looked at the young mother, a part of her wished Ritsu was married to her and not, 'that idiot.'

"Mommy will she be staying for dinner," the Miyuki pointed to Mio snapping the woman out of her trance.

"Oh! Umm... I don't want to intrude," politely declined the lawyer.

"Nonsense! Mio you are staying for dinner and that's that! This is an order from the former leader and president of HTT!"

"It's settled, I guess," giving her best friend a warm smile.

"Are you hitting on my mother," asked the 6 year old.

"W...what?"

"Daddy said if mommy brings home a man, that I should kick them in the knee!"

"heh... heh," a bead of sweat drops from Mio's forehead her eyebrow twitching uncontrollably. 'This is Ritsu's daughter alright.'

"Hahaha," laughed the drummer. "Don't scare our guest dear," she yelled from the kitched as she placed the washed rice into the cooker. The machine hummed to life as Ritsu made her way back to the living room.

"Mii-chan," she called to herdaughter. "Do you know who this person is?"

The girl was unable to answer never seeing this woman in her life.

"This is Akiyama Mio, she is mommy's best friend," explained the drummer.

"Oh," was the little girl's reply.

"Yup, from now on you shall be referred you as Auntie-Mio," proclaimed the drummer.

"Huh, don't go giving me titles that you just invented on a whim" Mio feign surprise. 'Auntie Mio huh,' she thought, 'I liked the sound of that.'

Trio watched TV to pass the time as the rice cooks and veggies steam. A blissful family, Mio thought. If only it was hers. Sooner or later she will have to go home to an empty house and tried routine, a part of her wished things would remain like this forever. Unlike Ritsu who seems to be able to brush off seven years of hate, anger, resentment and whatever emotion Mio was feeling in a few mins; she herself simply couldn't. Mio was different she was afraid, 'I don't want to get hurt again.' She just couldn't forget all the grief loving someone who doesn't love her, 'in that way,' back has managed to put her through while being so carefree. A part of her still holds an uncertainty towards this new development in her life, unlike Ritsu who never lets anything get in the way of having her final say on the matter Mio is still quite shy and timid regarding social interactions. She simply cannot say what is on her mind, that is how the 'lawyer' is. Maybe this is why people consider her such a gigantic bitch, a real life ice princess lacking any heart what so ever.

*Scene break

Sitting at the dinner table, Ritsu studied the quiet woman in a fancy business suit sitting across from her 'why is she so quiet what has changed about Mio,' Ritsu wanted to get to know more of this 'new Mio.' She wanted to catch up on everything that had happened to her best friend as well as her former bandmates.

"So, Mio," questioned the drummer. "Do you have a boyfriend? I mean a hot looking girl like you, and look at that suit you must be loaded!"

"Huh," again pretending she doesn't understand the question.

"Come on Mio, you heard me."

"What, I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Umm," trailed Mio trying to think of something, anything at all.

"Yea," she sigh, "but we broke up a few months ago." 'It's not really a lie, technically this is the gosh honest truth.'

"Oh, what? That's terrible, I wish I was around. I would kick his ass for breaking Mio-chaun's heart!" The drummer shakes her fist in mock anger. "I mean what kind of asshole would dump a catch like you, he must be really stupid!"

"Actually," the lawyer started. "I was mostly my fault," she spoke sadly. "I let my job get in the way and I never had any time for him, I ended up hurting him Ritsu," she finished. Regardless of whatever her ex thinks, Mio really do miss the cute bassist that followed her like a little puppy. The raven smiled,reminiscing of the few fleeting moments of happiness in the last seven years of her life.

"Are you sure? Man I would like to meet the guy that managed to steal Mio-chuan's heart to the point that even thinking of him made her start to blush as red as a tomato!."

"Huh, idiot Ritsu," she protested even though she was quite obviously blushing.

*Scene break

"Hey Ritsu, where is Ryouji its getting awfully late, I mean shouldn't he be home," the bassist asked the mother who has just return from tucking in her daughter. 'Why am I nervous, its not like I'm a guy alone with someone else's wife.'

"It's Friday he has to work late today," she answered. "He'll be home in a few hours. Hehe, don't tell me you are simply trying to get to know me so you can steal my man, Mio-chaun is such a seductress."

"What, shut up you idiot," replied bonking her best friend in the head, 'like old times.'

Mio as she studied the interior of the house. This is really a great house, from her knowledge and experience as a realty lawyer she was able to ascertain that this house must have costed a fortune. She could almost swear the house was just put on the market a few months ago, her firmed tried to acquire it however the last owner managed to sell it to a private buyer. 'Of all the luck...'

This is really a great house Ritsu," she complimented.

"He worked hard to get us this house," she smiled. "While his colleagues dither away drinking and cheating on their wives he worked long hours to finish one of the firm's most important projects. His boss saw this and later promoted him to supervisor."

"Oh, I see you must be proud of him." 'That idiot,' she wanted to add, why is she jealous all of a sudden.

"I am!"

"So Mio, what exactly do you do," questioned the drummer. "I mean the last time I saw you," she trailed off not wanting to touch on a painful subject. "I mean when we entered college you told me you wanted to major in law..."

"I'm a real state lawyer, you know for escrows and estate law and such like that..."

"Oh you must make the big bucks," teased her friend. Ristu felt proud to see Mio accomplish her dreams, well besides the other dream which she had ruined for everybody.

"It pays the bills," Mio didn't really like talking about work. It's not all roses and daisies, 'or lilies.' With the terrible economy, a lot of her duties involved removing people from their homes, sometimes forcibly kicking them out to the streets.

"Oh I see," Ritsu has always been good at reading the raven haired beauty, and that reply of Mio usually means, 'lets drop the subject.' Ironic that she managed to miss something as obvious as her best friends' crush.

"Hey Mio," whenever they were alone as a kid Mio has always been the less talkative one. It was Ritsu who usually brings up subjects to converse about. "So what does your ex do?"

"Huh, again Ritsu," questioned the bassist, "can't we drop this I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not," the brunette poked future. "Let me guess, he's a hot shot lawyer like yourself!"

"No," protested Mio, "he plays bass for a jazz band."

"Wow, really? Wait don't tell me it was that guy from the summer festival that we went to..."

"No it's certainly NOT him, and can we drop the subject already?"

"I wish I could have met the guy," the brunette said almost in a serious tone. "I wanted to meet someone who managed to make Mio-chaun's heart flutter."

"...Don't make me kill you Ritsu," the bassist shakes her fist angrily. 'Just like old times, still she doesn't have to tease me so much.

"Sorry, hehe seven years of not being able to tease you if I don't do it now I would explode," joked her bestfriend.

'How does she managed to read me so well.'

At that moment the front door open to reveal a man in his late twenties, handsome features makes him look younger than he appears to be. 'The idiot...'

"I'm home!"

"Honey," screamed Ritsu. Mio can only watch helplessly as Ritsu dashes to her love.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know we had company," he hunched over graciously as a sign of humility to the new guest.

"Honey you remember Mio do you," questioned his wife.

"Ahh Akiyama-san, it's been so long, it is still Akiyama-san right?"

"Yes," sighed the 3rd wheel. 'Why does this family have to keep pushing that, so what if a twenty-six year old woman is not married, jeez it's not the end of the world. I mean Sawako-san is in her fourties and...'

"Honey, I'll go draw you a bath then when you are done come out and we can talk with Mio about old times," said the dutiful wife. Mio can't take this anymore, she felt uncomfortable as the mood shift from two close friends sharing an intimate moment to her being some third wheel. Not only that but the girl that she had a crush on for literally twenty years is being all lovely dovely with this man that she hates with every fiber of her being. 'Still he hasn't done anything wrong, in fact he has done everything in his power to support Ritsu. While, I...'

"Oh it's getting quite late," the 26 year old said to no one in particular. "I need to get going."

"Really? It's only ten," she said looking at the clock.

"Yea I have work tomorrow," she lied.

"Oh, I see."

"I was a pleasure meeting you again, Takahashi-san," the business woman bowed graciously.

"No... no, the pleasure is all mine," he replied scratching the back of his head embarrassed to have the attention of such a lovely lady. Still no one is as lovely as his wife, of course.

"I'll walk her out," interrupted Ritsu, her husband nodded to her and went upstairs out of view.

*Scene break

"I had a lot of fun today Mio," the drummer interrupted what seems to be three minutes of awkward silence.

"Me too..."

"Hey, umm... can I have your phone number?" "So we can talk again," suggested the drummer.

"Yea," replied her bestfriend. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

The two friends exchanged phone number, and both bid their good byes. On the walk home Mio ponders why she wasn't ecstatic about the events of her day. She had met her best friend whom she was searching for seven years, not only that but Ritsu forgave her for being such a jerk and that she has a cute little niece to play with. But a part of her still felt this dread, the heartache of watching Ritsu with that man, Mio told herself she will never get used to that. 'Not in a million years.' She needed something to clear her head and this feeling of dread, so she pulled out her cellphone and speed dial one of her most used contact.

"Kotobuki-residence," a young girl in her early twenties answered.

"S-Sumire-chan," questioned Mio. 'Why is she answering...'

"Ahh Mio-san, I'm sure you wanted to speak with Ojou-sama let me get her,' came the voice on the other line she can hear nervousness in the girl's voice. "Onee-sama, Onee-sama wake up its Mio-san," came the hushed whisper on the other line. 'What, are they... sharing a room?'

"Ahh Mio-san how are you this evening," questioned the heiress.

"I'm not disturbing you am I," questioned the bassist.

"No not at all, don't worry about it Mio-chan," replied her best friend of the past seven years.

"I... I found her Mugi," unable to contain the excitement in her voice.


End file.
